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Jeremiah 45:4 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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4 Thus shalt thou say H559 unto him, The LORD H3068 saith H559 thus; Behold, that which I have built H1129 will I break down, H2040 and that which I have planted H5193 I will pluck up, H5428 even this whole land. H776

Cross Reference

Jeremiah 18:7-10 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

At what instant H7281 I shall speak H1696 concerning a nation, H1471 and concerning a kingdom, H4467 to pluck up, H5428 and to pull down, H5422 and to destroy H6 it; If that nation, H1471 against whom I have pronounced, H1696 turn H7725 from their evil, H7451 I will repent H5162 of the evil H7451 that I thought H2803 to do H6213 unto them. And at what instant H7281 I shall speak H1696 concerning a nation, H1471 and concerning a kingdom, H4467 to build H1129 and to plant H5193 it; If it do H6213 evil H7451 in my sight, H5869 that it obey H8085 not my voice, H6963 then I will repent H5162 of the good, H2896 wherewith I said H559 I would benefit H3190 them.

Jeremiah 31:28 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over H8245 them, to pluck up, H5428 and to break down, H5422 and to throw down, H2040 and to destroy, H6 and to afflict; H7489 so will I watch over H8245 them, to build, H1129 and to plant, H5193 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068

Jeremiah 1:10 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

See, H7200 I have this day H3117 set H6485 thee over the nations H1471 and over the kingdoms, H4467 to root out, H5428 and to pull down, H5422 and to destroy, H6 and to throw down, H2040 to build, H1129 and to plant. H5193

Genesis 6:6-7 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

And it repented H5162 the LORD H3068 that he had made H6213 man H120 on the earth, H776 and it grieved H6087 him at H413 his heart. H3820 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I will destroy H4229 man H120 whom I have created H1254 from the face H6440 of the earth; H127 both man, H120 and H5704 beast, H929 and the creeping thing, H7431 and the fowls H5775 of the air; H8064 for it repenteth H5162 me that I have made H6213 them.

Psalms 80:8-16 STRONG

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Thou hast brought H5265 a vine H1612 out of Egypt: H4714 thou hast cast out H1644 the heathen, H1471 and planted H5193 it. Thou preparedst H6437 room before H6440 it, and didst cause it to take deep H8328 root, H8327 and it filled H4390 the land. H776 The hills H2022 were covered H3680 with the shadow H6738 of it, and the boughs H6057 thereof were like the goodly H410 cedars. H730 She sent out H7971 her boughs H7105 unto the sea, H3220 and her branches H3127 unto the river. H5104 Why hast thou then broken down H6555 her hedges, H1447 so that all they which pass H5674 by the way H1870 do pluck H717 her? The boar H2386 out of the wood H3293 doth waste H3765 it, and the wild beast H2123 of the field H7704 doth devour H7462 it. Return, H7725 we beseech thee, O God H430 of hosts: H6635 look down H5027 from heaven, H8064 and behold, H7200 and visit H6485 this vine; H1612 And the vineyard H3657 H3661 which thy right hand H3225 hath planted, H5193 and the branch H1121 that thou madest strong H553 for thyself. It is burned H8313 with fire, H784 it is cut down: H3683 they perish H6 at the rebuke H1606 of thy countenance. H6440

Isaiah 5:2-7 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

And he fenced H5823 it, and gathered out the stones H5619 thereof, and planted H5193 it with the choicest vine, H8321 and built H1129 a tower H4026 in the midst H8432 of it, and also made H2672 a winepress H3342 therein: and he looked H6960 that it should bring forth H6213 grapes, H6025 and it brought forth H6213 wild grapes. H891 And now, O inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem, H3389 and men H376 of Judah, H3063 judge, H8199 I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. H3754 What could have been done H6213 more to my vineyard, H3754 that I have not done H6213 in it? wherefore, H4069 when I looked H6960 that it should bring forth H6213 grapes, H6025 brought it forth H6213 wild grapes? H891 And now go to; I will tell H3045 you what I will do H6213 to my vineyard: H3754 I will take away H5493 the hedge H4881 thereof, and it shall be eaten up; H1197 and break down H6555 the wall H1447 thereof, and it shall be trodden down: H4823 And I will lay H7896 it waste: H1326 it shall not be pruned, H2168 nor digged; H5737 but there shall come up H5927 briers H8068 and thorns: H7898 I will also command H6680 the clouds H5645 that they rain H4305 no rain H4306 upon it. For the vineyard H3754 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 his pleasant H8191 plant: H5194 and he looked H6960 for judgment, H4941 but behold oppression; H4939 for righteousness, H6666 but behold a cry. H6818

Jeremiah 11:17 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

For the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 that planted H5193 thee, hath pronounced H1696 evil H7451 against thee, for H1558 the evil H7451 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and of the house H1004 of Judah, H3063 which they have done H6213 against themselves to provoke me to anger H3707 in offering incense H6999 unto Baal. H1168

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 45

Commentary on Jeremiah 45 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 45

The prophecy we have in this chapter concerns Baruch only, yet is intended for the support and encouragement of all the Lord's people that serve him faithfully and keep closely to him in difficult trying times. It is placed here after the story of the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews, but was delivered long before, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, as was the prophecy in the next chapter, and probably those that follow. We here find,

  • I. How Baruch was terrified when he was brought into trouble for writing and reading Jeremiah's roll (v. 1-3).
  • II. How his fears were checked with a reproof for his great expectations and silenced with a promise of special preservation (v. 4, 5).

Though Baruch was only Jeremiah's scribe, yet this notice is taken of his frights, and this provision made for his comfort; for God despises not any of his servants, but graciously concerns himself for the meanest and weakest, for Baruch the scribe as well as for Jeremiah the prophet.

Jer 45:1-5

How Baruch was employed in writing Jeremiah's prophecies, and reading them, we had an account ch. 36, and how he was threatened for it by the king, warrants being out for him and he forced to abscond, and how narrowly he escaped under a divine protection, to which story this chapter should have been subjoined, but that, having reference to a private person, it is here thrown into the latter end of the book, as St. Paul's epistle to Philemon is put after his other epistles. Observe,

  • I. The consternation that poor Baruch was in when he was sought for by the king's messengers and obliged to hide his head, and the notice which God took of it. He cried out, Woe is me now! v. 3. he was a young man setting out in the world; he was well affected to the things of God, and was willing to serve God and his prophet; but, when it came to suffering, he was desirous to be excused. Being an ingenious man, and a scholar, he stood fair for preferment, and now to be driven into a corner, and in danger of a prison, or worse, was a great disappointment to him. When he read the roll publicly he hoped to gain reputation by it, that it would make him to be taken notice of and employed; but when he found that, instead of that, it exposed him to contempt, and brought him into disgrace, he cried out, "I am undone; I shall fall into the pursuers' hands, and be imprisoned, and put to death, or banished: The Lord has added grief to my sorrow, has loaded me with one trouble after another. After the grief of writing and reading the prophecies of my country's ruin, I have the sorrow of being treated as a criminal; for so doing; and, though another might make nothing of this, yet for my part I cannot bear it; it is a burden too heavy for me. I fainted in my sighing (or I am faint with my sighing; it just kills me) and I find no rest, no satisfaction in my own mind. I cannot compose myself as I should and would to bear it, not have I any prospect of relief or comfort.' Baruch was a good man, but, we must say, this was his infirmity. Note,
    • 1. Young beginners in religion, like fresh-water soldiers, are apt to be discouraged with the little difficulties which they commonly meet with at first in the service of God. They do but run with the footmen, and it wearies them; they faint upon the very dawning of the day of adversity, and it is an evidence that their strength is small (Prov. 24:10), that their faith is weak, and that they are yet but babes, who cry for every hurt and every fright.
    • 2. Some of the best and dearest of God's saints and servants, when they have seen storms rising, have been in frights, and apt to make the worst of things, and to disquiet themselves with melancholy apprehensions more than there was cause for.
    • 3. God takes notice of the frets and discontents of his people and is displeased with them. Baruch should have rejoiced that he was counted worthy to suffer in such a good cause and with such good company, but, instead of that, he is vexed at it, and blames his lot, nay, and reflects upon his God, as if he had dealt hardly with him; what he said was spoken in a heat and passion, but God was offended, as he was with Moses, who paid dearly for it, when, his spirit being provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. Thou didst say so and so, and it was not well said. God keeps account what we say, even when we speak in haste.
  • II. The reproof that God gave him for talking at this rate. Jeremiah was troubled to see him in such an agitation, and knew not well what to say to him. He was loth to chide him, and yet thought he deserved it, was willing to comfort him, and yet knew not which way to go about it; but God tells him what he shall say to him, v. 4. Jeremiah could not be certain what was at the bottom of these complaints and fear, but God sees it. They came from his corruptions. That the hurt might therefore not be healed slightly, he searches the wound, and shows him that he had raised his expectations too high in this world and had promised himself too much from it, and that made the distress and trouble he was in so very grievous to him and so hard to be borne. Note, The frowns of the world would not disquiet us as they do if we did not foolishly flatter ourselves with the hopes of its smiles and court and covet them too much. It is our over-fondness for the good things of this present time that makes us impatient under its evil things. Now God shows him that it was his fault and folly, at this time of day especially, either to desire or to look for an abundance of the wealth and honour of this world. For,
    • 1. The ship was sinking. Ruin was coming upon the Jewish nation, an utter and universal ruin: "That which I have built, to be a house for myself, I am breaking down, and that which I have planted, to be a vineyard for myself, I am plucking up, even this whole land, the Jewish church and state; and dost thou now seek great things for thyself? Dost thou expect to be rich and honourable and to make a figure now? No.'
    • 2. "It is absurd for thee to be now painting thy own cabin. Canst thou expect to be high when all are brought low, to be full when all about thee are empty?' To seek ourselves more than the public welfare, especially to seek great things to ourselves when the public is in danger, is very unbecoming Israelites. We may apply it to this world, and our state in it; God in his providence is breaking down and pulling up; every thing is uncertain and perishing; we cannot expect any continuing city here. What folly is it then to seek great things for ourselves here, where every thing is little and nothing certain!
  • III. The encouragement that God gave him to hope that though he should not be great, yet he should be safe: "I will bring evil upon all flesh, all nations of men, all orders and degrees of men, but thy life will I give to thee for a prey' (thy soul, so the word is) "in all places whither thou goest. Thou must expect to be hurried from place to place, and, wherever thou goest, to be in danger, but thou shalt escape, though often very narrowly, shalt have thy life, but it shall be as a prey, which is got with much difficulty and danger; thou shalt be saved as by fire.' Note, The preservation and continuance of life are very great mercies, and we are bound to account them such, as they are the prolonging of our opportunity to glorify God in this world and to get ready for a better; and at some times, especially when the arrows of death fly thickly about us, life is a signal favour, and what we ought to be very thankful for, and while we have it must not complain though we be disappointed of the great things we expected. Is not the life more than meat?